1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for remotely capturing consumer product data and updating a consumer products database.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is known to design planograms or shelf stocking plans for retail stores using, in part, measurements of the consumer products placed on the shelves. It may be advantageous for a retailer or outsourced planogram designer to readily have access to product dimensions in designing planograms rather than having at least one of each consumer product physically on hand. Shelf stocking can be done without a planogram but often may result in a time-consuming trial and error process or less than optimal use of shelf space.
Chain store retailers with multiple stores may gain benefits from the use of planograms by leveraging economies of scale. An outsource provider may avoid duplication of data for the same product being sold by different retailers by maintaining a central database of the information needed for planograms and advertising. Desirably, the database may be readily updated and contains the desired information for the latest consumer products.
There is a need and a desire for maintaining and updating a central database that can be easily updated to contain the latest consumer products information.